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Hello, fellow writers! Got any question that you can't find answer from Google or Wikipedia, but you don't think it needs a separate thread for? You came to the right place!

Don't be shy, and just ask away. The nice folks here, writers and non-writers, experts and non-experts, will do their best to help you.

The folder below contains links for special interest threads, mostly at OTC, but also from Yack Fest and Troper Coven.

    Special Interest Threads 

Also take a look at Useful Notes on various topics. They can be pretty useful.

Now, bring on the questions, baby!

edited 11th Apr '18 6:31:51 PM by dRoy

Marchen Too hot (Hot damn) from Somewhere Out in Space (Experienced, Not Yet Jaded) Relationship Status: It's not my fault I'm not popular!
Too hot (Hot damn)
#30076: Feb 1st 2025 at 6:07:25 AM

[up][up]Hmm... I have, like, no experience writing properly, and also no idea how you do things, but would something like switching from, like, a relatively objective description to an almost comically biased one work? Like, we see it described how the couple is acting like kind-hearted grandparents, and also how the POV ascribes malice to every joke, smile, and cup of tea? Well, I've been assuming they're old because I find that to be less threatening, so I don't know about a younger couple.


[up] In what way? The way you describe it makes me jump to how we humans have varying levels of melanin depending on where we're from.

Read Otr of the Flame (She/Her)
Nukeli Since: Aug, 2018
#30077: Feb 1st 2025 at 7:03:11 AM

[up]

Some animals have color morphs, like gyrfalcons. I think color morphs are mostly about camouflage in different environments?

I've thought about giving my alien species, nonhumanoids who have metal armor plating and seem like robots but aren't (their appearance is still a bit unclear to me)note  at least two color morphs to distinguish individuals better. The gold-ish pattern both morphs would have is like zebra stripes (in function, not in appearance).

When i talk about orange copper i mean something like "burnt copper" in chart but darker, and when i say goldish copper i mean the one that's just labeled "copper".

~*bleh*~
Marchen Too hot (Hot damn) from Somewhere Out in Space (Experienced, Not Yet Jaded) Relationship Status: It's not my fault I'm not popular!
Too hot (Hot damn)
#30078: Feb 1st 2025 at 7:10:00 AM

[up] In that case, I instantly think of the peppered moth. Not exactly the same, but maybe the black morph adapted to, like, volcanic environs, while the other one adapted to, like, a more martian area?

Read Otr of the Flame (She/Her)
Nukeli Since: Aug, 2018
#30079: Feb 2nd 2025 at 6:22:16 AM

I thought volcanic ash was white too?

~*bleh*~
Trainbarrel The Story Supporter from The Star Ocean Since: Jun, 2023 Relationship Status: You cannot grasp the true form
The Story Supporter
#30080: Feb 2nd 2025 at 6:27:38 AM

Why not have it so that the reason the color is orange, is because it emits a wavelength on the color-spectrum that the predators of this robotic race can't register with their senses, rendering the robots invisible unless they start moving or something similar, serving as an unorthodox camouflage for them but not for us?

"If there's problems, there's simple solutions."
Marchen Too hot (Hot damn) from Somewhere Out in Space (Experienced, Not Yet Jaded) Relationship Status: It's not my fault I'm not popular!
Too hot (Hot damn)
#30081: Feb 2nd 2025 at 6:28:39 AM

[up][up]Maybe? I'm mostly thinking "what kind of place would it be beneficial to be a dark-coloured morph on a planet with robot-like creatures" and it feels like volcanoes ought to have a bunch of dark stone, right? Though, come to think of it, arctic foxes turn black during the summer, and the nile was associated with the color black, right? Maybe they instead live in muddy areas?

Edited by Marchen on Feb 2nd 2025 at 3:31:00 PM

Read Otr of the Flame (She/Her)
Nukeli Since: Aug, 2018
#30082: Feb 2nd 2025 at 7:25:49 AM

[up][up]

I don't think color blindness makes you unable to see objects of the offending color. Though the background color looking very similiar to whatever the offending color is perceived as could make distinguishing them difficult?

.

[up]

Oh, you meant black stone. That makes more sense.

~*bleh*~
CrystalGlacia from at least we're not detroit (Living Relic)
#30083: Feb 2nd 2025 at 8:26:43 AM

I don't think color blindness makes you unable to see objects of the offending color. Though the background color looking very similiar to whatever the offending color is perceived as could make distinguishing them difficult?

Technically no, but it makes them harder to see, which can be all that's needed. For example, have you ever wondered how tigers manage to be effective hunters even though their orange fur sticks out like a sore thumb against green foliage? That's because they're not hiding from humans- most animals are some level of colorblind by human standards, and from the perspective of a tiger's usual prey, red, orange, yellow, and green all look like the same color, a range of yellowish shades. Combine that with their vertical striping that looks like plant stems and breaks up their outline, and yeah, that makes them pretty difficult to see, which gives them enough time before they're noticed to sneak up on prey and pounce. The fact that humans do not think orange and green look the same is purely incidental.

And to turn this around, life forms that are able to see into the ultraviolet range would probably be surprised to learn that part of their usual visual spectrum is completely imperceptible to humans and just looks like plain white. That's another idea- maybe they also have markings in ranges of light that are outside of the human visual range and which are intended to conceal them in environments with a similar appearance in that range, from other life forms that can also see into that range, and like the tiger, the fact that their appearance in our range of vision sticks out like a sore thumb is purely incidental, because they didn't evolve to hide from the likes of us.

Edited by CrystalGlacia on Feb 2nd 2025 at 11:56:16 AM

"Jack, you have debauched my sloth."
Swordofknowledge Spreading literacy with book and blade from I like it here... Since: Aug, 2012 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
Spreading literacy with book and blade
#30084: Feb 2nd 2025 at 11:40:05 AM

How many people could two individuals reasonably hold captive at the same time?

In my story, Count Dracula-yes, that Dracula-could not feed on humans; he was limited to consuming the blood of a particular species of supernatural beings instead.

To that end, he created a "storage" space where he could keep a number of these people contained to feed on regularly to ensure he didn't starve to death during his time in London.

The only people involved in this task is Dracula himself and Renfield, his loyal subordinate. I'm just wondering how many these two could hold captive at a time. If it makes any difference, the Renfield of this story is a vampire as well, one who is obsessed with the Count from a Hero Worship standpoint.

Edited by Swordofknowledge on Feb 2nd 2025 at 11:40:33 AM

Fear is a tyrant and a despot, more terrible than the rack, more potent than the snake. — Edgar Walllace
MorningStar1337 The Encounter that ended the Dogma from 🤔 Since: Nov, 2012
The Encounter that ended the Dogma
#30085: Feb 2nd 2025 at 11:43:58 AM

I'm going to say...4. one for each arm. Given the likelyhood that his victims would struggle to free themselves the whole way.

If they were say, children, then the case could be made for 8 total using the shoulders.

Of course this is but a guess and assumes the victims remained alive and with free will. You could get away with carrying a pile of corpses since they are not likely to resit at all. Sedatation is also an option if they were needed alive, though even then children would likely be preferred due to vulnerability and higher capacity scaling.


As for storing in a static place, that is going to depend on the volume of the room here.

Edited by MorningStar1337 on Feb 2nd 2025 at 11:57:33 AM

ChicoTheParakeet Since: Oct, 2019 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
#30086: Feb 2nd 2025 at 8:01:44 PM

To paraphrase Trey Parker or Matt Stone, "If you write 'and then,' you're fucked."

I'm writing an autobiography, "and then" is used frequently. How do I work around this?

Trainbarrel The Story Supporter from The Star Ocean Since: Jun, 2023 Relationship Status: You cannot grasp the true form
The Story Supporter
#30087: Feb 2nd 2025 at 9:07:47 PM

[up] Have you tried to just cut it out and start the next sentence right away instead? Following the rule of "And then is banned. Try write a way around it."

Like this.

Example:

"I barely managed to slam the door in that thing's face before it collided with. Giving me a small breather and laugh and then it came busting thought the wall next to me instead."

To

"I barely managed to slam the door in that thing's face before it collided with the door. Giving me a small breather and laugh. Sadly, the wall next to it was not as sturdy."

See the difference in how the delivery is made when "and then" is removed?

Edited by Trainbarrel on Feb 2nd 2025 at 6:08:30 PM

"If there's problems, there's simple solutions."
MorningStar1337 The Encounter that ended the Dogma from 🤔 Since: Nov, 2012
The Encounter that ended the Dogma
#30088: Feb 3rd 2025 at 8:01:10 AM

Alright, planning a prequel, and thus looking for ideas for certain antagonists.

Already got four bases pinned down (Ahab, Ravana, Judge Holden, and Igor's brother.) But I still need four other figures to drive from for analogs to Britain, France, Japan and I think China as well. Preferably sourced from folklore, literature that bordered on it or history and with a focus on hubris.

Edited by MorningStar1337 on Feb 3rd 2025 at 8:01:34 AM

Cid El Cid Since: Jul, 2015 Relationship Status: Hiding
El Cid
#30089: Feb 3rd 2025 at 8:30:10 AM

Jack the Ripper (the version of him that was a doctor), and Robespierre, for England and France, respectively?

Edited by Cid on Feb 3rd 2025 at 10:30:19 AM

Marchen Too hot (Hot damn) from Somewhere Out in Space (Experienced, Not Yet Jaded) Relationship Status: It's not my fault I'm not popular!
Too hot (Hot damn)
#30090: Feb 3rd 2025 at 8:36:59 AM

[up][up] With some thinking, would Mordred work for Britain? I'd suggest him or Lancelot (who, now that I think about it, is French) for Britain. On a similar note, Roland the paladin for France? If memory serves me right, his main story was about how he was too proud and stubborn to do the smart thing, and died for it.

That said, I do notice your other picks seem pretty darn villainous. For China, would Lü Bu work? And for Japan... The first thing I thought of was Demon Lord Nobunaga.

Edit: That said, I would second [up]Robespierre.

Edited by Marchen on Feb 3rd 2025 at 5:37:53 PM

Read Otr of the Flame (She/Her)
MorningStar1337 The Encounter that ended the Dogma from 🤔 Since: Nov, 2012
The Encounter that ended the Dogma
#30091: Feb 3rd 2025 at 8:42:52 AM

Lu Bu is possible though I'm saving three kingdoms and French revolution stuff for the present (this is a Distant Prequel) so that would mean that both him and Robespiere are forspoken in a sense.

That said I think a different Lu was involved in the first founding of China (a merchant who raised the first emperor iirc), so I'll look into him and adjacent figures.

As for the matters. Roland and Mordred might be doable but not ideal. As you mentioned, the chosen figures here are pretty damn villainous so Roland would pose issues here.

Edited by MorningStar1337 on Feb 3rd 2025 at 8:44:26 AM

Marchen Too hot (Hot damn) from Somewhere Out in Space (Experienced, Not Yet Jaded) Relationship Status: It's not my fault I'm not popular!
Too hot (Hot damn)
#30092: Feb 3rd 2025 at 9:09:48 AM

So Mordred could still work? Well, just throwing stuff out, would King John of England work? As in, the Prince John of Robin Hood? For France... not sure how he fares in terms of hubris, but Gilles de Rais?

Read Otr of the Flame (She/Her)
MorningStar1337 The Encounter that ended the Dogma from 🤔 Since: Nov, 2012
The Encounter that ended the Dogma
#30093: Feb 3rd 2025 at 6:38:37 PM

okay I settled on my villains now

  • Lancelot and Morgan le Fay are in covering "France" and "Britain" respectably and with ofc connecting threads
    • Mordred would be more an Anti-Villain being manipulated by his mom.
  • for "Japan" I decided to go with something off axis here and use the two guard dogs of Yama in Vedic mythology
  • for the last ersatz...it turned out to be Germany. I'm saving the obvious choices for villains for elsewhen in the setting (again distant prequel and the present is meant to be close to 1920s coded in general). Instead I'll being going with Wagnerian opera for the source material and more specifically possible Sauron inspiration Alberich, as well as Wotan. Off-axis in a very different sense.

Edited by MorningStar1337 on Feb 3rd 2025 at 6:51:26 AM

Cid El Cid Since: Jul, 2015 Relationship Status: Hiding
El Cid
#30094: Feb 4th 2025 at 6:25:39 AM

Random question: if I have a character refer to a boat as a nobby without explaining it further, would it too confusing? I was planning to write something like:

'We searched everywhere for 'im. Couldn't find 'im. Maybe he's hiding in the nobby.'

'Let's check it out. Don't have anything to lose.'

Swordofknowledge Spreading literacy with book and blade from I like it here... Since: Aug, 2012 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
Spreading literacy with book and blade
#30095: Feb 4th 2025 at 6:32:51 AM

[up] @ Cid:

Whew, glad I checked before I posted. I almost [nja]'d you.

I'd imagine that it would depend heavily on the reader. Since it's a slang term, there's clearly a subset of people who would be extremely familiar with what your character meant. On the other hand, there are also a great deal of people who wouldn't immediately understand what on Earth they were talking about.

With that said...

Just because a reader/viewer isn't familiar with certain slang terms doesn't mean that they won't understand what's being said in general. Overall, the situation would pretty much explain what they were saying even if the words themselves aren't immediately understandable.

For example, imagine a group of heroes trying to stage a rescue operation of someone being held captive by enemies. They leave a truck running outside to get in and get out quickly. Upon reaching the captive, one of the heroes who happens to be British, comments that they have a "Lorry running outside" so they can get away at a moment's notice.

Now, even if you aren't familiar with what a lorry is, you know that they are referring to the motor vehicle they're using in the rescue operation.

Fear is a tyrant and a despot, more terrible than the rack, more potent than the snake. — Edgar Walllace
Cid El Cid Since: Jul, 2015 Relationship Status: Hiding
El Cid
#30096: Feb 4th 2025 at 7:14:58 AM

Good point about the context. Thanks!

MorningStar1337 The Encounter that ended the Dogma from 🤔 Since: Nov, 2012
The Encounter that ended the Dogma
#30097: Feb 4th 2025 at 8:05:44 AM

Kay, for a Gatsby themed story, I'm doing something different with the green light. While it would still represent Daisy and how unreachable it is for Jay, I'm going with a more paranormal take

Would it being a power source of some magic spell of the Buchanans that emerged after demise work and if so what would be thematic to the source material?

Cid El Cid Since: Jul, 2015 Relationship Status: Hiding
El Cid
#30098: Feb 4th 2025 at 12:26:56 PM

It could work, it's an interesting take. I imagine it could be either some kind of illusion spell (fits perfectly with the novel's themes of false appearances), or some kind of control spell to echo the Buchanans' social power and how they tended to 'manipulate' others.

@Swordofknowledge, I think you had a question before I beat you to it?

Nukeli Since: Aug, 2018
#30099: Feb 5th 2025 at 1:33:34 AM

[up]x5

I'd imagine that if you show or mention the object in narration, a nprmal reader will understand you're talkinh about the object.

~*bleh*~
Nukeli Since: Aug, 2018

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